The word 瘦骨嶙峋 is formed by combining the morphemes 瘦 (meaning thin) and 骨 (meaning bone) into the phrase 瘦骨, which signifies emaciated bones, and then attaching the reduplicative descriptive component 嶙峋 (meaning rugged or jagged) to emphasize the sharp, protruding visibility of the bones, resulting in a compound that literally depicts skeletal prominence due to severe weight loss.